Q+A with Joe Thomas, Dean of Cornell’s Johnson School of Management

We caught up with the Johnson School’s Dean Joe Thomas when he stopped in London during a round-the-world trip.

Between an alumni evening and visits to recruiters, Dean Thomas took time out to tell us a bit more about the Johnson School, which is located in Ithaca, NY.

Insiders tell us that it’s known as “the nice business school.”

The down-to-earth Dean - who enjoys playing basketball and piano, and collecting fine wines in his spare time – said his biggest challenge is finding jobs for his students. Cornell MBAs still have a 95% placement rate, but it’s taking a lot longer to get the jobs.

One of the most exciting developments in business education, according to Thomas, is the use of new technology that has the potential to beam students from across the world into a single classroom. The 125 students on the School’s Cornell Queens EMBA currently log on from across North America and Canada, and there are plans to extend the program worldwide.